Some Tips on Texas Talkin:
Now, if you're gonna say the things that Texans say, you've got to be
sure to get the pronunciation right. Here are a few tips: In Texas,
the "g" in the suffix "ing" is silent. Thus, "fixing to" becomes
"fixin' to."
Ah'mo - I am going to. E.g.: "Ah'mo get back to work."
Aggravated - used to describe everything from mild annoyance to
dangerous, murderous rage. Usually pronounced "agger-vated."
All swole up - an alternative to aggravated, but sometimes carries
connotations of being obstinate, proud and self-abosorbed, in addition
to being aggravated.
All choked up - upset, overcome with emotions (other than
aggravation). A person is usually "all choked up" when they are deeply
moved by sadness or by the thoughtfulness of others.
All worked up - in a state of aggravation, arousal of some type, in a
state of deeply offended pride, offended sensibilities, in a state of
anxiety, etc. Agitated.
Ball - usually means football.
Blue norther - storm that comes up as a giant, blue-black cloud of
cold air comes over the warm gulf air and "just about freezes us to
death!" Rain and wind may accompany the black cloud.
Catty whompus - used to describe something that doesn't fit properly
or is out of line.
Chester drawers - that piece of furniture you put your socks in.
Come hell or high water - shows determination to proceed, regardless
of the problems, obstacles, etc.
Conniptions to have conniptions is to get upset and raise a ruckus.
Crusty - tough and/or bad tempered man, woman or horse.
Dad blame it, dad gum it, dag nab it - euphemisms coined to allow
expressive speech without swearing.
Eat up - eaten up, destroyed, oxidized.
Fess up - admit.
Fit to be tied - really upset.
Fixins - food; the rest of the meal, excluding the main dish.
Fixin' ta - getting ready to do something.
Frog-strangler - an extraordinary amount of rain.
Full of piss an vinegar - Self Explanatory.
Galoot - an old cowboy term meaning "old rascal." It's generally meant
affably.
Gully-washer - an extraordinary amount of rain.
Hairyew - A greeting used when one wants to discern the physical and
emotional well being of his/her companion.
Hissy fit - State of extreme agitation and not a pretty thing to see.
Howdy - How do you do?
Larrupin' - a few fingers tastier than finger-lickin' good.
Lit out - took off, started out, or absconded across some terrain.
Looker - a pretty girl.
Maverick - a loner, an independent cuss, wild. First used to describe
cattle owned by Sam Maverick of Galveston Island. His cattle were
"wild-like" and he'd swim them across West Bay and join up with the
herd going north. When cattle broke the herd, the wranglers said,
"That's one of Maverick's."
Norther - a storm; not as bad as a blue norther.
Nuther thing: another thing
Ole cuss - an old rascal (or old fart, or galoot) who is tough and/or
bad-tempered.
Over yonder - a directional phrase meaning "over there."
Place - an individual's farm or ranch.
Plug - common mutt horse.
Plug-ugly -see above. This is definitely not a compliment, and should
not be treated as such.
Pole-axed - knocked down, smashed flat, with dramatic force.
Post oak - wood that is hard and resistant to rot and can be used for
fence posts.
Doin' aw'right; probably a reference to the quality of horse you are
riding. If you're poor, you ride a burro (short) or a plug. If you're
wealthy, you might ride a thoroughbred or Tennessee Walker; therefore,
you're ridin' high.
Sure'nuff: (one word). Used as a superfluous question in place of
"Really?" or "Is that right?" Also used as an adverb in sentences.
Sh**t - An expletive. Texans have been known to stretch the "S" word
into two, and in some extreme cases, three syllables.
Shoot - an expletive (should be used with an exclamation point).
Slaunchway - a piece of wood that is cut on an angle is cut
slaunchways.
Sorry - a particularly important Texas adjective meaning worthless,
no-count, useless, bad. Enhanced inflection makes it more emphatic.
Turd-floater - a very heavy downpour.
taken to - began, adapted, started liking. Use #l: He's taken to
drinking." Use #2: She's taken to that new job of hers right off."
Tank - pond
Tump - to spill or dump
Walkin' in tall cotton - doin' aw'right (see ridin' high)
Warsh: the process one engages in before renching.
Whole nuther thing - something else entirely
Whomperjawed - when something is not fitting properly, e.g., "You'll
never get that wine open, the corkscrew is all whomperjawed!" wore
out, fatigued, exhausted; also sometimes used for "worn out"
machinery, etc.
Yankee/Damn Yankee -
Type of human who is at the bottom of many Texas metaphysical, moral
and cultural paradigms. Damn Yankee is thought to be objectively
descriptive rather than profane, and it is comfortably accommodated in
some social environments where "bad language" is otherwise controlled
by inherent coercive prohibitions.
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